The Honourable Lance Finch, QC

Class of 1962

Lance Finch obtained his law degree from UBC in 1962. He worked in private practice at Guild Yule for twenty years before becoming a trial judge and ultimately serving as Chief Justice for the Court of Appeal of British Columbia and Yukon Territory between 2001 and 2013. Justice Finch was one of ten graduates from the class of 1962 who went on to become a judge. He has fond memories of the silliness and good-natured pranks that he experienced in law school, and of the lifelong connections that they helped foster.

He notes that life is “full of funny twists and turns”. Indeed, it was the chance advice of a friend that prompted him to talk to a professor and ultimately make the decision to pursue a legal career. His advice is to take such chances when they come along and to enjoy the experiences that arise from them.

Justice Finch succeeded Allan McEachern in the highest judicial office in the province. He was a colleague of Chief Justice McEachern for 19 years, first on the Supreme Court of British Columbia and, since 1993, on the Court of Appeal.

Justice Finch takes the issue of access to justice and legal services very seriously. He advises law students of today to find balance in their lives, to find workplaces in which they feel comfortable, and to remember that lawyers hold a privileged position in society, in return for which they must view their profession as one of public service.